Monsters Under The Bed
by ninjadevil2000
Summary: "Monsters aren't real," the little boy whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling the blankets over his head. "Monsters don't exist. Daddy said so. Monsters aren't real."


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I don't really want to because it would mean this was canon and I almost don't want it to be.**

**Author's Note: Okay, so this was so incredible to write. I had so much fun but I also cried a lot so you may want some tissues.**

**This is also the first ever horror story I've written and I must admit, it was quite exciting and frightening as well. I hope to write more horror in future, particularly around this month and Halloween. I really hope you enjoy this and please review. It would mean a lot. :)**

**Huge thank you to Liz Jean Tonks! Definitely check her out. She's written some amazing stuff and is an amazing person.**

**Written for the IWSC October Practice Round**

**School and Year: Beaubaxtons, Year 2 (both temporary)**

**Theme: Rocky Horror Picture Show - Insanity (Greyback) / innocents trapped (I took this in a deeper way; innocents trapped within themselves)**

**Main Prompt: [Emotion] Rage**

**No Additional Prompts**

**Word Count: 3040**

* * *

"Daddy!" Remus called from his room. His father came up the stairs.

As Lyall entered his son's room, he looked at the small boy, curled up tightly in the fluffy blankets on the bed. "Remus, your mother already tucked you in. What's wrong?" His voice was rather tired, but kind all the same.

"Daddy, you didn't check for monsters," Remus said, as though his father had made one of the most dreadful mistakes someone could make.

His father sighed and came forward. "Remus, we discussed this. You're getting too old for this, son," he said. He ruffled his son's hair as a light breeze fluttered the window curtains. He looked around. "Why is your window open?" he asked. He walked over and shut the window, double checking that the lock was tight.

Remus didn't answer, merely watching his father. "Please, Daddy? Just one more time? I promise I won't ask ever again."

The little whine in his son's voice was almost enough to convince Lyall, but he held firm. "That's what you said last week, Remus," he said. "Now get some sleep, okay? I promise, there are no monsters. Monsters aren't real and they can't hurt you." He bent forward and kissed Remus' forehead. "Now get some sleep," he said again. He left the room, shutting the door softly behind him, blocking out the light from the hallway and leaving Remus in almost pitch black darkness.

A hint of moonlight shone through the window, giving an eerie glow to the room. A pair of owls hooted somewhere nearby, a frightening sound if you're a little four year old boy who's afraid of monsters.

"Monsters aren't real," the little boy whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling the blankets over his head. "Monsters don't exist. Daddy said so. Monsters aren't real."

But at that moment, he heard something. A scrape. A soft thump. It sounded close. Under him. Under the bed. Remus tried to ignore it. _"It's just my 'magination,"_ the little boy thought. _"That's what Mummy always says."_

But then there was another thump, and Remus thought he could hear someone breathing. The little boy opened his eyes wide in fear, peering over the blankets, scanning the room. He wanted to call for his daddy, for his mummy, but he couldn't.

Remus tried to ignore the trembling of his hands. But then another thump sounded again, a scraping across the wooden floor, a low grunt. Remus couldn't move.

"Monsters aren't real. They're not real. Daddy said so," he muttered again, squeezing his eyes even tighter, covering his ears with his little hands.

But then, a loud crunch sounded and Remus couldn't help but open his eyes again. And in the dim moonlight, he could see a shape. It was big. Looming. Menacing.

Remus was shaking. He wanted to yell for his parents but he couldn't form the words. For a split second, it seemed like time had stopped, until a low growl emitted from the large shape towering over him.

"Your daddy should've checked under the bed."

Remus screamed, but it was drowned out by a loud howl from the creature. It echoed around the room and Remus' eardrums shook. Tears flowed down the little boy's cheeks and into the pillow.

Suddenly, large hands ripped away the blankets and grabbed the little boy. Thundering footsteps echoed through the house, and Remus thought of his mummy and daddy. _"They'll rescue me,"_ he thought. But then an immense wave of pain engulfed the child. Large nails dug into his sides, and the creature, barely perceptible in the darkness, leaned forward. Remus was screaming and crying, yelling for his parents.

He was in a sort of cradle as the monster leaned forward, opening its jaws. He couldn't feel anything. He was terrified, paralyzed, shocked. He couldn't move; the monster's arms holding him tight. The monsters teeth touched his arm and bit deeply. Remus screamed again._ "Where was Daddy? Where was Mummy?"_ He didn't know what was happening. All the little boy knew was that a monster was hurting him. His daddy had been wrong. Monsters were real. One was hurting him right now, blood was streaming down Remus's arm. All he wanted was his mummy!

_Bang!_ Remus's bedroom door flew open and a flurry of sparks flew towards Remus and the monster. The creature howled, growling in pain. Remus was sobbing loudly and the monster took a menacing paw and slashed it across Remus's face. The boy screamed again. He wriggled, trying to break free of the monster's grip, but it was as strong as iron. Sounds were muffled and the only thing he could see through his tears were flashes of light. Spells.

It was his daddy. It had to be. Suddenly, he felt himself fall. He hit the floor hard, crying out in pain. His arms and face were searing and he was sobbing. Blood was dripping from his wounds. His throat hurt from screaming, and he was trembling, shaking from head to toe.

Flashes of light continued to fly around him and all Remus could do was convulse, hot tears still flowing. His whole body aching. At last, he heard a final loud crash and soft arms swept him up as he fell into oblivion.

* * *

"Remus? Remus, wake up, baby. Please, wake up for Mummy."

The little boy opened his eyes a centimeter. His whole body ached, and he couldn't help but start crying again. "Mu-Mummy?" he stammered.

"I'm right here, baby. Mummy's right here." Remus looked around. His sweet and beautiful mother sat there by his side. He was laying in his parents' big bed, wrapped up in blankets. His mother was stroking his hair and smiling at him, her own eyes red.

"Wh-Where's D-Daddy?" Remus stammered. "Did – did the monster g-get him too?"

"No, baby, no!" Hope said softly. "He's okay. Don't worry, honey, he sent the monster away." She bent closer and kissed his forehead. "Everything's okay now."

"What – what was that?" Remus asked.

His mother dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and swallowed. "It – it was a werewolf, baby," she explained. "But don't you worry, Daddy sent him away and he'll n-never ever hurt you again."

She smiled through her tears, but Remus knew about werewolves. "But – but Mummy, he – he bit me." Remus lifted his little arm, wincing. "Does this mean that – that," he said, barely able to speak the words. "Mummy, did he turn me into a monster?"

"No, Remy, no, of course not, baby," Hope scolded her little son gently. "You could never be a monster. You'll just be different now, is all." She forced a smile on her face, stroking her little son's hair.

At that moment, Lyall came in. Seeing his son awake, he moved forward quickly, sitting on Remus's other side. "Hey, how're you feeling, Remy?" he asked gently. He wiped away the tears from his son's cheeks.

"It hurts, Daddy," Remus cried softly. He saw his parents look at each other, the pain in their eyes evident to their intelligent son.

"Here, buddy." Lyall pulled something out of his pocket, gently taking Remus's hand in his own. "You'll be okay. Now I'm just going to put this medicine on, okay?" he said gently.

"N-No," Remus said, pulling his hand out of his father's with effort. "I w-want Mummy to – to do it."

Remus saw how hurt his daddy looked, but he had been wrong. "You – you told me that – that there weren't m-monsters," he said. "You – you said that th-they weren't r-real," he stammered. "But he h-hurt me, Daddy."

Remus was crying again and he grabbed onto his mother's hand, holding it tightly against his cheek. He saw his father crying, and the little boy watched as he stood up and left the room, silently handing a container to Hope as he passed her.

"Here, baby," Hope said, and Remus could tell that his mother was upset too. "Daddy said to just put a little bit on – on your scratches and it'll make them feel better."

Remus sniffed and swallowed his tears away as his mother dabbed a bit of the medicine on his arms and his side, and then his face. It stung a bit, but Remus barely noticed. He looked out the big bay window and cried softly, trying to ignore the identical tears streaming down his mother's face.

* * *

To his parents' relief, Remus forgave his father after a couple of days. A night of crying on the couch and being comforted by his father, held tightly like a stuffed animal, took care of that.

For the next few months, Remus would barely let his parents out of his sight, and Hope and Lyall felt the same. The day after Greyback's attack, Lyall reinforced the house with every protective and defensive spell he knew, even going to a Muggle hardware store and purchasing Muggle locks and a Muggle security system.

The family was terrified. For the entire month, they dreaded what would come on the next full moon in just a few weeks. Even little Remus, only four years old, knew the bedtime stories about werewolves. Nightmares were haunting them all.

Lyall would wake up in the middle of the night and pace the floor, scared, guilty, knowing that if he hadn't lashed out at Greyback that day at the Ministry, his son might not have suffered this dreadful fate.

Hope would wake up in the middle of the night and cry herself back to sleep, terrified of what had happened and what would happen to her little boy. She grew pale and shaky, the lack of sleep taking a toll on her.

Remus would wake up, scared. Terrified that the monster would come back. Terrified of the monster he would become. He would go and climb into his parents' big bed, or, if they weren't there, he'd go to the kitchen and curl up in his mother's lap or in his father's arms.

It was a very somber birthday that year. The attack had happened just a week before Remus turned five years old. He had wanted a big party with all of his friends, but after the incident, the little boy was depressed, barely leaving his parents' side.

Friends of the family noticed it too. Plans the Lupins had had were cancelled, co-workers of Lyall's noticed the change in the man. Remus grew lonely, obeying his father's instructions to stay away from his friends. He felt bad when they would drop by the house and knock, asking to see him, and Hope would make up an excuse, saying that Remus was sick or that he was busy helping Lyall.

Eventually, the day of the full moon arrived. Remus was picking at his food. His skin was pale and clammy and he felt sick, unable to explain how it exactly felt when his mother asked. He laid down on the couch all day until it started to grow darker, only nibbling at his lunch and flipping through a few picture books.

As the sky darkened outside the windows, Remus started to feel even sicker. He weakly stood up and went over to Hope. "Mummy, something's wrong," he said shakily. Lyall stood nearby and came close, scooping his little son into his arms.

"Let's put him in the attic," he suggested softly.

Hope nodded sadly. She walked ahead of Lyall, opening the attic door and turning the light on. Lyall handed Remus to Hope who cradled him and swung him gently back and forth. Remus was still as stone as Lyall withdrew his wand and conjured a large comfortable blanket. He laid it on the floor, clearing away the few boxes scattered in the small room. Hope knelt down and gently sat Remus down on the blanket. She stroked his pale, sticky face.

"It'll be okay, my darling," she said, eyes watering. "It'll be okay. Daddy and I will be right outside, baby."

Lyall watched sadly as his wife stood up, covering her hand with her mouth. Remus was starting to shake. Lyall grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her out of the attic, shutting the door, trying to ignore the moans of pain coming from the little boy on the other side of the door. He cast a few silencing spells and locked the door. Hope knelt down and pressed her ear against the door. The silencing spells were muffling the sounds from the neighbors but not the couple. They could hear everything.

The moans of their little son, how the sobs turned to growls. Hope cried silently as she listened to her baby boy, Lyall squeezing her tightly as he cried tears of his own.

No child should have to live with this affliction. No child should have to transform into a monster every month and hurt himself. Lyall knew what was happening. He had been around enough werewolves to know what would be happening, but he couldn't bear to imagine what it looked like, happening to his own son.

Inside the attic, Remus felt nothing but red hot pain. He couldn't describe it. All he knew was that something was happening and he didn't like it. He was crying and clutching at his arms and legs in pain. His face hurt too. He pressed his little hands to his face and felt long scary teeth. He looked at his hands and saw that they looked like a monster's hands.

Something was happening to him. He cried louder, in more pain than ever before.

Then he heard a soft voice, full of tears, from the other side of the door.

"Remus, baby? It's okay, honey, it's okay. It'll be okay. Mummy and Daddy are here. We're always here. We love you." A pause. "We'll always love you, baby. Don't forget that. It'll be okay; it'll all be over soon."

Weakly, shakily, the little werewolf made his way over to the door. He started to scratch at it. The long nails buried themselves in the door. The wolf inside him was hungry. Remus couldn't explain why, but he felt his body throwing itself against the door. It hurt badly and a little howl escaped his muzzle.

Hope cried more as she heard the paws of her little son scraping against the door. The hammering of his feet. She heard his little howls. This was her boy. Her little son, the light of her life. The boy who was always happy, always smiling. That had all changed now.

* * *

Remus hurt everywhere. His long nails dug into his skin. He reached back, scraping his back and his neck. Hair was covering his little frame and his teeth nibbled at his own hands and his feet and his arms.

His mother and father talked to him, trying to sound strong for their little boy. Hours passed. The little wolf's howls grew louder and more painful. Scraping would sound against the door and the walls. Scratches appeared deep in the floor, he growled and scraped at his own skin. It felt wrong. The little boy didn't know what was happening. He couldn't think. He couldn't feel. His mind was gone. Everything was monster.

Lyall and Hope were still sitting by the door hours later. They had never moved, never left the door. They had listened, distraught, to their little boy. Lyall had been thinking for days about any possible cure, reading everything on potions and illnesses he could get his hands on.

Hope had tried her hardest to make everything as easy for Remus. She had made her son's favorite foods, tried to treat him the same, played with him more than ever.

Now, a hint of light coming in through a window, Lyall and Hope removed the silencing charms and unlocked the door. Hope cried out when she saw the state her son was in. She ran towards him. The blanket Lyall had conjured was ripped to shreds, the floor had long grooves in it, as did the walls and the door. But little Remus. His little body was bloody and bruised. His arm was twisted at an odd angle, his face had long gashes in it, mirroring the scars from Greyback. His hands were covered in his own blood, and he quivering on the floor, seemingly unconscious.

Lyall conjured a little stretcher for the boy and gently picked him up, laying him down upon it. He knew he couldn't risk taking the boy to St. Mungo's or a Muggle hospital, but he was certainly tempted to. He thought about taking him for a split second and merely casting memory charms on the people who saw them, but he knew he wouldn't be able to prevent it.

Lyall and Hope did their best. Lyall was very learned in the art of medicine luckily, and was able to heal some of the smaller cuts easily. The boy's arm was wrapped tightly and secured in a sling, and Hope cleaned his face and his hands and bandaged the boy from head to toe. Remus lay unconscious for the rest of the day, only waking up a little bit the next day when Hope forced him to eat a little soup.

From that day on, starting with Greyback's attack and Remus's first ever transformation from boy to wolf, everything was different for the family. A couple of weeks after the first transformation, the Lupins moved. They proceeded to move again and again, every few months as rumors would surface about a haunted family or a haunted house or an evil creature.

But no matter where they would move to next, there was never any escape from the wolf inside the innocent boy.

One day, a couple of years after living with Lycanthropy, little Remus found his mother in the kitchen.

"Mum?" he asked.

"Yeah, Remy?"

"Didn't you tell me that chocolate isn't good for animals?"

"Yes, I did," Hope said, looking curiously at her son.

"Can I have some?"

"Sure, honey, but why?" Hope stood up and went to a cabinet, pulling out a bar of chocolate she used really only for baking.

Remus took the chocolate quietly. "Maybe it'll get rid of the monster inside me."


End file.
